


Peek-A-Boo

by astudyinfic



Series: Blood is Thicker Than Water [2]
Category: Skyfall (2012) - Fandom
Genre: Established Relationship, M/M, family life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-07
Updated: 2014-05-07
Packaged: 2018-01-23 21:10:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,382
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1579640
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/astudyinfic/pseuds/astudyinfic
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An MIA husband, a screaming child and scrutiny from M were all adding up to an epic headache and Q was going to need some time on the shooting range or the munitions bunker later so he didn’t accidentally kill someone on his way home.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Peek-A-Boo

**Author's Note:**

  * Translation into 中文 available: [Peek-A-Boo/躲猫猫](https://archiveofourown.org/works/4050511) by [chrischi817](https://archiveofourown.org/users/chrischi817/pseuds/chrischi817)



“PAPA!”

The shrill cry had even the most seasoned agent in the room grimacing at the ear piercing decibels of the word.  Of all days for their nanny to come down with the flu, it had to be today.  Today, the day M was bringing the new field agent recruits and their double oh mentors on a tour of Q-Branch to show the trainees what this department did for them while they were on a mission.

The only two double ohs who were not in the room were 004, who was to be guided through a relatively simple mission by Q as an example of how handlers and agents worked together (with the added bonus of keeping him as far from the recruits as possibly), and 007 who had vanished the moment the words _M_ and _recruits_ occurred in the same sentence.  While one usually was the cause of most of Q’s problems, it was the other he wanted to kill right now.

Q and James had come to an agreement with M that if they had no other options, Abby could come to work with them on occasion.  But this was an important day and a screaming toddler and distracted Quartermaster were not part of the plan.  For his part, Q was trying to do his best as the technicians scrambled to give the little girl everything she could possibly enjoy that was found inside MI6’s walls.  Everything but the one thing she actually wanted.  Her father.

“004, on the far wall you will see a keypad.  The code is 9346 followed by a...”

“PAPA!  PAPA!  PAPAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!”

An awkward chuckle could be heard from the other end of the line, “I sure hate to tell you, Q, but I don’t have a papa anymore.”

Cracking every one of his knuckles, Q’s face darkened as he glared at the monitor.  “Pound sign, 004.  Keep your mind on the job.  You know exactly what I was saying and don’t start to get cute with me.”  James was going to pay for this.  If he was going to hide out in MI6 and avoid his professional responsibilities, he could have at least taken their daughter with him.  MIA husband, screaming child and scrutiny from M were all adding up to an epic headache and Q was going to need some time on the shooting range or the munitions bunker later so he didn’t accidentally kill someone on his way home.

“Q,” M started and he knew what was coming.  “Maybe we should reschedule this for another time.”  

“No, I’m fine,” he said, perhaps a bit too quickly.  “If the agents have to work under adverse conditions all the time, it only seems fair that Q-Branch deals with it sometimes as well.”  Though, right now, Q would give anything for someone to just be shooting at him.  That he could handle.  His sobbing daughter mere meters from him and being unable to take the time to help her was more than his heart could take.

Taking advantage of a lull in the crying, Q turned back to 004 who had made it through the door and was approaching the target.  “Alright, target is straight ahead, room at the end of the hallway.  Two guards, both armed.  Assume target is as well. CCTV has been placed on a loop so they don’t know you’re coming but be careful anyway.”

“You act like this is my first dance,” 004 drawled and Q simply shook his head, watching as the agent approached the room and burst in with no finesse at all.  Gunshots rang out and everyone held their breath for a moment.  “Fuck, lucky shot,” the agent grumbled.  “Tell Medical I’m going to need a stitch.  Oh, all dead, target neutralized.”

Muttering could be heard from the double ohs.  004 was the only one who ever bothered to go to Medical and he went for everything from a gunshot wound to a hangnail.  “Alright,” Q sighed.  “They’ll be alerted.  Evac is on it’s way.  I’ll have Jefferson send you the coordinates.  Good job, 004.  Less damage than usually and you are in one piece.”

“I have a gunshot wound.”

“It’s minor.  I think you’ll pull through.”

“Glad to know you think so highly of me Q.”

Rolling his eyes, Q chuckled, “Just look for the email from Jefferson.  Would hate to have you miss your ride.”  A quick glance towards the tech who should have been sending the message told Q something was off in the bunker.  Instead of typing furiously, the man in question was looking towards the back of the room with a sappy grin on his face.  “Jefferson, did you hear me?” he demanded but the man simply waved him off.

Eyes darting around the room, Q’s brow furrowed as he saw several more people sporting the same dopey smile that Jefferson did.  And it had gotten unsettlingly quiet all of the sudden.  Unsure what he would see, Q turned slowly to face what everyone else was completely enamored by.  The sight in front of him caused his heart to melt and all the other troubles of the day evaporated.  

Abigail was no longer crying but giggling quietly, looking around before clapping her pudgy hands and laughing whenever James brought his hands away from his face.  “Peek-a-boo, princess!” the agent grinned and the child leaned in to give him a soft kiss on the nose. Q wasn't sure when his husband had arrived but the scene in front of him was almost enough for him to forgive Bond's absence. Almost. 

“Again, Daddy!”

“Where’s Daddy?” James asked once more, covering his face and trying to keep himself from laughing at his daughter’s excited squeals when his hands fell down to his chest.  

Forgetting everything else, including M and the dozen agents watching the scene, Q pushed past them to kneel next to James.  “Did you find Daddy, Abby?”

“Yes, Papa!  Look.  Daddy!”  She pointed at James before flinging herself off the chair and into his waiting arms.  James caught her, holding her small body close to his chest and nuzzled his nose in her hair.  

He smiled at Q before speaking softly to his daughter, “I may disappear but I always come back.  And when I’m not around, you have Papa and your brothers.  And you have your new Auntie Eve.  There are plenty of people who love you, darling.  But Daddy will always come back to you.”  There was a sadness in his eyes that was mirrored in Q’s, both of them knowing that there was a good chance that one day he wouldn’t come home.  For now, they were together and James only had to make it a few more years before he could retire from the Double Oh program and stay in London full time.

Leaning in, Q kissed James over Abby’s shoulder and the agent smiled lovingly at him.  There seemed to be no one in the room but the three of them until M cleared his throat loudly, causing James and Q to jump apart and Abby to glare at M with a look too reminiscent of a double oh agent to be on the face of a one and a half year old girl.  

“I think that is enough for the day.  Everyone, I expect you to report to Q sometime before the end of the week for weapons assignment and training.  That will be all.”  The agents and M all filed from the room and one by one the technicians went back to work.

Standing up, Q chuckled, smiling at James, “Where have you been?   _Your_ daughter was screaming all through 004’s mission.”

“So she’s my daughter when she is trying to get 004 killed?” James asked with a smirk.  “Actually, that seems pretty accurate.  Good job, princess.”

“Don’t encourage her, James.”

“Just like you don’t encourage her by buying her the toy computer?”

“That’s different!  Computers are going to be a useful skill for her, no matter her occupation.  There is only one, maybe two, things she can do that will involve trying to get 004 killed.”

The two of them bickered good naturedly all the way back to Q’s office, leaving the technicians to their jobs.

Somewhere in Botswana, 004 was still waiting for his directions.

 

 


End file.
